Quantitative MRI of cartilage in ACL reconstructed patients using 3D ultrashort echo time T1 (UTE-T1) and magnetization transfer ratio (UTE-MTR)

Motivation: Post traumatic osteoarthritis is a common complication of ACL injury. There is limited research on the early degenerative changes in cartilage of ACL injured knees. Goal(s): To develop novel biomarkers for identifying early cartilage damage in ACL reconstructed knees. Approach: We employed ultrashort echo time magnetization transfer ratio (UTE-MTR) and UTE-T1 sequence to study the knee articular cartilage in ACL reconstructed patients. Results: UTE-T1 and UTE-MTR can be used as quantitative biomarkers for assessing cartilage damage. Reduced MTR and increased T1 values indicate cartilage damage which is otherwise not appreciated on morphological imaging. Impact: UTE-T1 and UTE-MTR sequences can detect early cartilage damage, which could help us better understand the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis.